Pneumatic sizer



A. H. STEBBINS PNEUMATIC SIZER Filed April 8, 2 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 2, 1 241.

A. H. STEBBINS PNEUMATIC SIZER Filed April 8, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

accordance with their difierences in specific 3 Patented Dec. 2; 1924..

warren STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

ALBERT H. STEBBINS, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

rnnumarrc srznn.

Application filed April 8, 1922'. Serial No. 550,871.

or separators for the separation of mate-' rials in accordance With their size and specific gravity.

I-Ieretofore the sizing of materials has been commonly accomplished by the use of screens, the materials to be treated being passed over the screening surface so that the line materials will pass through the apers tures of the screen-out of contact with the coarse materials. to the objection that it is diliicult to prevent the mesh thereof from clogging and the j screen clothing wears out rapidly. Furthermore screens will not separate materials in gravity.

In the separation of certain classes of I materials, such for example as in the treatment of ores it may be desirable to se arate the materials in accordance with the ifi'er ences in size, and also to produce a partial separation in accordance. with the differences in specific gravity. This can not be done upon the ordinary screen as screens separate in accordance with size alone.

One important feature of the present in vention therefore consists in novel means for delivering materials to a jet of air so that the light materials will be deflected to a greater extent them the heavy materials;

n the treatment of difi'erent materials it may be desirable to vary the conditions under which the materialsare subjected to the action of the air.- @ther' featuresof the invention therefore consist in means for subjecting the materials to be sized to a plurality of jets of air the strength of which may be controlled as desired; in means which may be adjusted relative to the deflecting jets-of air to vary the point at which the light deflected materials are-separated from the heavier materials; and inanea'ns for drawing air through the materialsbeing casing being removed to disclose the inte- Screens however are open 'tion of the pneumatic sizer of Fig. 1, one side of the casing being removed, and

'the successive treatment of the materials.

treated further to promote their separation.

And still another feature of the invention consists 'in means arranged in series for subjecting the materials separated out in the first operation to a second and similar treatment. 1 I

Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts in addition to the above will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate good practical, forms thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pneumatic sizer constructed in accordance with the present invention, one side of theenclosing riorythereof.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an air dis-.

charge nozzle.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a modifica- Fig. 4: is a. vertical sectional View showing a modification in the construction of Fig.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1, a casing is provided containing two sizing or separating chambers arranged in series so that part of the materials treated in the first chamber 10 are delivered to a second chamber 11 where they receive a second treatment. It will be apparent however that for certain purposes the treatment to which the materials are subjected in the chamber 10 may be sumcient without requiring the use of the second chamber 11, whereas in other cases it may be desired to provide more; than two of the separating chambers arranged in series vtor The casing containin the chambers 10 and 11 may be various. y constructed, and in the embodiment shown is provided withan inclined lower wall 12 for directing the materials to be treated into the chamber 10 and a second inclined lower wall 13 for b not shown. 'lhematerial s to he treated a similar wall serves to direct the materials to be treated across the path of air discharged from one or more nozzles. In Fig. 1 four nozzles 19 are provided arranged one above the other, and each nozzle has air or other fluid delivered thereto under pressure b a pipe .valves 21 being provided to regu ate' the discharge from each nozzle. The number of nozzles 19 provided may be varied as de- 20 sired and eachinozzle preferably has a wide flattened end as shown in Fig. 2 adapted to discharge air therefrom in the form of a sheet.

As the'materials pass down the inclined at 'surface12 they are delivered into the path of the air discharged from the nozzle or nozzles 19 and are deflected by the force of the air. The light particles Wlll be deflected to a greater extent than the heavy particles,

and this enables separation of the materials to be effected by providing a partition 22 in spaced relation to the nozzles 19 so that. the

lighter materials will be carried by..the air over-this partition while the heavier par ticles will fail tobe lifted over the same. As a result of this construction the heavy particles will fall in the chamber or compartment 23 to one side of the partition 22 while the light materials will fall in the chamber or compartment .24 to the other side of this partition.

, By providing a nest or group of air jets that act .simultaneously upon the same particles, the particles are thoroughly cleansed,

and the desired amount ofdeflection of the materials is produced without the use of an unduly strong ai'r blast. Furthermore by providing means for controlling the strength of each; air jet, the cleansing and deflecting operation of the air may be varied to meet the requirements of various -materials. j

It ma be desirable to vary the percentage of t e materials that fall into one com 'partment or the other and this may be readi'l accomplished by chan 'n the ositionzif the artition 22. In%l ie constriiction shown t e partition 22-- is' pivotally mounted at 25 upon a plate-26 andunay be adjusted toward or from the nozzles 19 from the exterior of the chamber 10 by means extending through the curved slot 27 in the rear wall 16. Itmay also be desirable to vary the height of the partition 22, and

05 this may. be accomplished by providing the tively.

cape therefrom along the inclined surface 13. It is desirable to remove the dust from thechamber 10 and also to reduce the air pressure therein so that air will not be forced out of the discharge openings of the compartments 23 and 24. -A .conduit 31 is therefore provided leading from the chamber 10.. This conduit may be connected to any suitable exhaust pipe 32, and passage of air through the conduit may be controlled by anadjustable gate 33. It is de sirable to prevent air from entering through the discharge outlets of the compartments 23 and 24 and to thi end the outlets are provided with air traps 34 and 35 respec- .In some cases it may be desirable further to separate the materials collected in the compartment '24 and to this end these materials 'are-epassed along the surface 13 into the second chamber 11 where they are subected to the action of an air blast or air lasts discharged from the nozzle or nozzles 36. The lighter materialsin this chamber will be carried over the partition 37 as in the chamber 10, and the construction and operation inthis chamber may be substantially the same as in chamber 10 except the force of theqair will be less in the second chamber than in the first.

The heavier materials treated in chamber 11will fall into compartment 38 having an air trap 39, and the lighter materials will fall into compartment 40' having an air trap 41. A conduit 42 leading from the chamber 11 to the pipe 32 serves to reduce the air pressure in this chamber and to conduct dust therefrom, and the air suction in this con duit may be controlled by an adjustable gate 43.

It may be desirable to introduce more air into the chambers 10 and 11 than is supplied thereto by the nozzles 19 and 36 respectively. An air inlet 44 is therefore provided below the bottom nozz'le 19 for admitting air into the chamber 10 and the size of this inlet may be controlled by the adjustable gate 45. The arrangement is such that air' drawn in( through the inlet 44 will .pass up through. the materials being treated and will help to clean and se arate the materials. The chamber 11 may e, provided with a similar inlet opening 46.

The construction and operation of the pneumatic sizer shown in Figs. 3 and 4 differs in certainrespects from the construcneumatic sizer of Fi 1. The principal that t e modified construction of Figs. 3

and 4 is designed to treat finer or lighter "materials than the construction of Fig. 1.

In the treatment of certain materials it may be desirable to separate the into a number of different grades. The casing of Fig. 3 is therefore shown as having the separating chambers 47 and 48 each of which is divided by partitions into several com artments. The materials to be treated in amber 47 are supplied thereto by the hopper a9 and the materials pass down the inclined surface 50 into the path of a jet of air delivered by the nozzle 51. Materials differing in deflected difi'erently by the air jet from the nozzle 51. The heaviest materials will fall into the compartment 52 while the lighter materials will fall into the compartments 53 and 54, and these compartments may be separated by adjustable partitions 55 and 56 similar to the partition 22 of Fig. 1.

In some cases it may be desirable to pass air through the materials as they travel along the inclined surface 50, as this will tend to fluif the materials up and to remove dust therefrom. To this end the surface 50 may be provided with apertures for the passage of air therethrough and air under pressure may be supplied to the lower face of this surface by the chamber 57 and air I supply pipe 58;.

In certain cases it may be desirable to remove part of the dust carried from the chamber 47, and to this end any desired type of dust collector 59 may be connected to the chamber 47. In the construction shown the upper end of the dust collector 59 is connected to an air exhaust pipe 60 by a c0nduit 61 and the dust that settles in the dust collector will slide down the inclined walls 62 and fall into the compart-- ment 54. An additional supply of air may be admitted to the chamber 47 through the opening 63 below the nozzle 51 in a manner similar to that described in connection with The materials collected in the compart-v inent 52 may be discharged throu h the spout 64 havin an air tr terials collect in the cggii partment 54 may e spout 66 having an air trap (not shown). 1

In cases when it is desired to treat further the materials deposited in an of the compartments of the chamber 47, t e materials may be lead from the comp rtment 53, (for example) to the chamber 4 where the materials will be further separated by mechanism similar in construction and operation to the mechanism of the first chamber 47.

If desired the chamber 47 and 48 may be provided with a plurality of ailsupply nozmaterials size and specific gravity will be and t e mastrength of the zles 51 as shown in Fig. ,4 in place of the single nozzle for each chamber as shown in Fig.3.

What is claimed is z 1. In a pneumatic sizer, in combination, a

casing provided with separate closed cham- 1 bers, means for delivering a jet of air into the first chamber, means for delivering a jet of air into the second chamber, partitions within said chambers in spaced relation to the respective jet delivery means, means for delivering materials to be treated into the casing provided with separate chambers, a

group of nozzles for directing a series of air jetsmto the first chamber, a different group.

of nozzles for directing air jets into the second chamber, partitions within saidchambers in spaced relation to the respective groups of nozzles, means for delivering materials to be treated into the path of the jets of air in the first chamber to subject the materials to the cleansin action of the difierent jets and that the lig termaterlals may be carried by the air over the partition, and

means for directin the materials fal n uponone side of saic l partition into the pa 1 o the air jets in the second chamber to subject them to the additional cleansing acrecting materials fed thereto along a predetermined path, a nest of air jets for directing air currents of difierent velocities into intersecting relationwith the path of the materials'to subject the materials to the cleansing action of the different strength jets, ,apartition in the casingl spaced from the air ets and positioned so t at the lighter materials will be carried over the partition by the air jets, and means for varying the 'fierent air jets to vary their cleansing actio upon the materials and to the path-of from the air jet so that the lighter 'tion of these jets and further to grade the a vary the grades of materials that fall upon different sides of the partition.

5. In a pneumatic sizer, in combination, a casing having an inclined apertured surface along which materials to be treated are fed, air'nozzlesarranged side by side in a series for delivering adjacent sheets of air into the casing, means for independently controlling the force of the air delivered by each nozzle, partitions within said casing forming difi'erent chambers, means for delivering materials to said inclined surface to travel along the surface into the path of the adjacent sheets of air that different materials may be carried by the air over different partitions, and means for passing currents of air through said apertured surface to fiufl' up the materials as they travel along said surface. V

6. In a pneumatic sizer, a casing having a surface for directing materials along a predetermined path, partitions Within the easing forming different chambers therein, a nest of air jets for delivering sheets of air difl'eri-n in velocity into intersecting relation wit the materials traveling along said path to subject the materials to the cleansing action of the cooperating jets and to deflect the materials from their path of travel, and means for varying the velocity of each jet of air to cause some jets to break up the density of the materials and others to cleanse the materials and to lift the lighter materials sufficiently to pass over different partitions.

7. In a pneumatic sizer, in combination, a casing, a plurality of air nozzles arran ed one above the other in a series for delivering adjacent sheets of air into the casing, a partition within the casing, means for delivering materials to be treated into the path of the adjacent sheets of air to-subject the materials to the cleansing action of the coo crating jets and so that the lighter materials will be lifted over said partitionwhile the heavier materials will fail to be lifted over the partition, and means for independently controlling the force of the air delivered by each nozzle so that some jets will break up the-density of the materials and others will cleanse and'deflect the materials.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT H. STEBBIN S 

